History Main / SelfMadeMan

* Military thriller ''Literature/{{Victoria}}'' has Terry, the former Marine aviator and aviation buff who made a fortune in real estate and fulfilled his dream--buying and restoring a real-life World War II jet bomber. Naturally, this becomes a plot point...

* Mr. Ridgemount in ''WesternAnimation/{{Stoked}}''--according to the "Golf Caddy Speech" that he gives to his kids whenever they've done something really bad (such as [[NoodleIncident setting a boathouse on fire]] or [[WildTeenParty throwing a huge party that got way out of control]]), he had worked his way through college working as a golf caddy, and the work ethic he developed ultimately led to him becoming the founder/owner/head of Ridgemount Resorts, an international chain of luxury hotels.

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* Mr. Ridgemount in ''WesternAnimation/{{Stoked}}''--according to the "Golf Caddy Speech" that he gives to his kids whenever they've done something really bad (such as [[NoodleIncident setting a boathouse on fire]] or [[WildTeenParty throwing a huge party that got way out of control]]), he had worked his way through college working as a golf caddy, and the work ethic he developed ultimately led to him becoming the founder/owner/head of Ridgemount Resorts, an international chain of luxury hotels.hotels (the flagship of which is world-renowned surf resort).

* George Jefferson. He's not as rich as the other guys on this list, but he started off as a janitor and with the help of an insurance settlement opened and ran a [[Series/AllInTheFamily successful dry cleaning store in Queens, New York]]. He managed turn one store into a chain and got enough money to [[TheJeffersons "move on up" to the Upper East Side of Manhattan into a deluxe apartment]]

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* George Jefferson. He's not as rich as the other guys on this list, but he started off as a janitor and with the help of an insurance settlement opened and ran a [[Series/AllInTheFamily successful dry cleaning store in Queens, New York]]. He managed turn one store into a chain and got enough money to [[TheJeffersons [[Series/TheJeffersons "move on up" to the Upper East Side of Manhattan into a deluxe apartment]]

* An interesting variation occurs with the Green Goblin, {{Spider-Man}}'s archenemy. While ComicBook/NormanOsborn's family was initially very wealthy, Norman's incompetent, abusive father nearly wiped out the family fortune, until Norman founded Osborn Industries and rebuilt the family wealth from the ground up.

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* An interesting variation occurs with the Green Goblin, {{Spider-Man}}'s Franchise/SpiderMan's archenemy. While ComicBook/NormanOsborn's family was initially very wealthy, Norman's incompetent, abusive father nearly wiped out the family fortune, until Norman founded Osborn Industries and rebuilt the family wealth from the ground up.

* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Weiss' grandfather, Nicholas Schnee, was this years before the series began. He not only founded what would become the largest [[AppliedPhlebotinum Dust]] mining company on Remnant, but he also personally led each expedition and helped protect them from Grimm attacks. Unfortunately, people in the present tend to forget this and instead associate the Schnee name with Weiss' CorruptCorporateExecutive of a [[AbusiveParents father]], Nicholas's son-in-law Jacquees. Weiss' main-motivation for becoming a Huntress is to follow in her grandfather's footsteps.

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* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'': Weiss' grandfather, Nicholas Schnee, was this years before the series began. He not only founded what would become the largest [[AppliedPhlebotinum Dust]] mining company on Remnant, but he also personally led each expedition and helped protect them from Grimm attacks. Unfortunately, people in the present tend to forget this and instead associate the Schnee name with Weiss' CorruptCorporateExecutive of a [[AbusiveParents father]], Nicholas's son-in-law Jacquees.Jacques. Weiss' main-motivation for becoming a Huntress is to follow in her grandfather's footsteps.

* In ''Literature/FiftyShadesOfGrey'', Christian Grey calls himself this, saying he started up his business and has made it as large and influential as it is now, all by himself. [[{{Hypocrite}} He seems to forget that it was Elena Lincoln, who gave him the starting capitel for his business]].

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* In ''Literature/FiftyShadesOfGrey'', Christian Grey calls himself this, saying he started up his business and has made it as large and influential as it is now, all by himself. [[{{Hypocrite}} He seems to forget that it was Elena Lincoln, Lincoln who gave him the starting capitel capital for his business]].

* Niki Lauda as depicted in ''[[Film/{{Rush2013}} Rush (2013)]]'': His family is the rich business people, but he violently ditches himself from the family's money to race in FormulaOne (which is viewed as low-class job by his father). Even before he starts, he claims to his team mate he can build his own economy out of the job.

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* Niki Lauda as depicted in ''[[Film/{{Rush2013}} Rush (2013)]]'': ''Film/Rush2013'': His family is the rich business people, but he violently ditches himself from the family's money to race in FormulaOne UsefulNotes/FormulaOne (which is viewed as low-class job by his father). Even before he starts, he claims to his team mate he can build his own economy out of the job.

* Mr. Ridgemount in ''WesternAnimation/{{Stoked}}''--according to the "Golf Caddy Speech that he gives to his kids whenever they've done something really bad (such as [[NoodleIncident setting a boathouse on fire]] or [[WildTeenParty throwing huge parties that get way out of control]]), he had worked his way through college working as a golf caddy, and the work ethic he developed ultimately led to him becoming the founder/owner/head of Ridgemount Resorts, an international chain of luxury hotels.

to:

* Mr. Ridgemount in ''WesternAnimation/{{Stoked}}''--according to the "Golf Caddy Speech Speech" that he gives to his kids whenever they've done something really bad (such as [[NoodleIncident setting a boathouse on fire]] or [[WildTeenParty throwing a huge parties party that get got way out of control]]), he had worked his way through college working as a golf caddy, and the work ethic he developed ultimately led to him becoming the founder/owner/head of Ridgemount Resorts, an international chain of luxury hotels.

* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAbracadabraDoo'': Curdles' background. He used to struggle with an ice cream cart and now, thanks to his hard work, owns a big ice cream business that's now a major corporation.

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* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAbracadabraDoo'': Curdles' background. He used to struggle with an ice cream cart and now, thanks to his hard work, owns a big ice cream business that's now a major corporation.business.

* Mr. Ridgemount in ''WesternAnimation/{{Stoked}}''.''WesternAnimation/{{Stoked}}''--according to the "Golf Caddy Speech that he gives to his kids whenever they've done something really bad (such as [[NoodleIncident setting a boathouse on fire]] or [[WildTeenParty throwing huge parties that get way out of control]]), he had worked his way through college working as a golf caddy, and the work ethic he developed ultimately led to him becoming the founder/owner/head of Ridgemount Resorts, an international chain of luxury hotels.

* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAbracadabraDoo'': Curdles' background. He used to struggle with an ice cream cart and now, thanks to his hard work, owns a big ice cream business.

to:

* ''WesternAnimation/ScoobyDooAbracadabraDoo'': Curdles' background. He used to struggle with an ice cream cart and now, thanks to his hard work, owns a big ice cream business.business that's now a major corporation.

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